Cape Town - Millions of rands worth of foreign exchange would be brought into the country, the best of South African aeronautical products would be showcased and hundreds of jobs would be created as a result of the Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition in Cape Town in September, the organisers said yesterday.

There are also expected to be spin-off benefits for tourism as a result of the change of venue from the Waterkloof defence force base in Pretoria, where the show has been held in recent years, to the Ysterplaat base in Cape Town.

And for the first time there will also be a maritime element, with a South African navy frigate at a nearby mooring, and expected visits from other navies.

Jeff Radebe, the minister of transport, said in a speech read on his behalf by his adviser, Ian Phillips, that the maritime and aviation sectors were "critical to Africa's development. Africa's seaborne trade accounts for a huge proportion of its GDP [gross domestic product]. Air transport's impact on Africa is also significant.

"Recent academic assessment suggests that air transport generates about 470 000 direct and indirect jobs across the continent. Adding tourists who rely on air transport, the number of jobs on the continent increases to about 3.1 million people in employment.

"All in all, air transport's contribution to African GDP amounts to about $55.5 billion [R381 billion]. African aviation-related work across the continent provides employment for about 216 000 in airline activities: 151 000 for aerospace engineering, maintenance and repair, and more than 56 000 in airports.

"The airlines contribute about $7.5 billion to African GDP, the airports about $2 billion and aerospace more than $1.5 billion."

Forecasting that open skies between African countries would soon be achieved, Radebe said African aerospace would undergo major development over the next five to 10 years, "providing a platform for even stronger growth and development after that".

The airshow provided a good opportunity for everyone involved in aerospace and the related maritime areas of expertise to see what the continent had on offer and required.

Oliver Stratford, the chairman of the Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition organising committee, said the show would "cement South Africa's role as Africa's aerospace, maintenance and defence hub for manufacturing, sales, service and charters".

He said the 2004 Africa Aerospace and Defence show contributed R151.2 million to GDP and created 1 078 jobs. The exhibition attracted 22 000 trade visitors and 120 000 day visitors when it was opened to the public.

With acknowledgement to Aidreu D'Angelo and Business Report.